Dealing with the heat

It’s the last week in July, and it’s hot. We’ve had unusually hot temperatures for extended stretches this summer and August usually promises to be even hotter. I thought I would share some ideas about how to deal with the warm temperatures.

First and foremost, drink lots of water. Our bodies cool themselves by evaporation. We sweat and the moisture evaporates cooling the skin’s surface in the process. When you don’t drink enough water and your body is dehydrated, you don’t sweat enough and your body does not cool itself as well.

Protect yourself from the sun. I wear long pants, long-sleeved shirts, a wide-brimmed hat or a traditional baseball cap with a Buff. Wear light colored clothing, because darker colors absorb the sun’s heat/energy and are hotter. The new lightweight materials and vented clothing really work well to keep you cool and keep the sun off your skin. Sunblock is important, too. I wear SPF 90 on my face, neck and hands. It may look hot wearing the clothing but it’s not, and I would rather pass on the chance for skin cancer.

Go fishing during the low light periods and leave the middle of the day to the pleasure boaters and Jet Skis. Whether you go in the evenings or early in the morning, you will be more comfortable and the fish bite better during these lower light periods. One of my favorite things to do this time of year is get up very early, put the boat in about 4 a.m. and fish until about 9 a.m. I can really get some fishing during that time, and these are the coolest hours of the day. I hope these few tips help you enjoy the water a little more this summer.

There is no substitute for time on the water!

Rusty White of Rock Hill is a professional fisherman and full-time guide on the Catawba chain of lakes, offering full- and half-day services. For more information, visit fishingwithRusty.com.